Namics shows the trends in content marketing for 2020
Ulrike Lauerer explains in an interview her top trends for 2020 and how best to implement them
Content marketing is an established discipline of digital marketing - in fact: many companies still have difficulties in getting users excited about their content. The Namics Digital Marketing Monitor 2020 shows this. Its author Kanika Kundra asked Ulrike Lauerer, Principal Consultant and Lead Content Services at Namics, about her tips for relevant content and the trends in content marketing.
Kanika: According to the results of the Digital Marketing Monitor, the biggest difficulty in content marketing is to arouse the interest of customers. What tips and tricks can companies use to deliver exciting content?
Ulrike: In my opinion, the central problem is that the content is often simply not relevant for the users. What can be done about this? Well, quite simply: offer relevant content. This goal sounds simple - but for many companies the way to get there is difficult. This is mainly due to two aspects:
- Every company looks through its own eyes - usually without realizing that users have a completely different perspective. This strong inside-out view leads to companies telling what is important to them - and that is almost always something different from what the users want to know.
Tip 1 is therefore: If you want to do successful content marketing, you must consistently take the users' perspective and put your own glasses in the case.
- Most companies invest a lot of time and budget to develop brand values, an individual tonality etc. This is good - but sometimes it becomes a brake pad. If you bend a fresh, exciting, maybe even extraordinary idea into several release loops to just display each brand value at the given percentage, the idea afterwards is boring and stiff.
Therefore tip 2: Successful content marketing requires the courage to do something different - well thought out and coordinated, but not robbed of its liveliness.
Kanika: More than half of the respondents see topicality as a success factor for content marketing. What is your personal criterion for success in content marketing?
Ulrike: Topicality is important, yes - almost as important as relevance. Both together are THE success factors for content marketing. That's why it's crucial to sometimes have the courage to do something and to implement a good idea that users are enthusiastic about quickly and without bureaucracy. Then a lot is already done.
Kanika: What goals do companies pursue with content marketing?
Ulrike: Content marketing usually serves two purposes: Branding and SEO, i.e. optimization for search engines. I think both goals make sense:
- With high-quality, up-to-date and relevant content, companies position themselves as trustworthy, experienced advisors. This is an important branding aspect and goes far beyond the mere promotion of products. They support users with useful tips and advice in their everyday lives or entertain them - that is the principle of content marketing.
- With SEO the following applies: search engines rank detailed, high-quality and up-to-date content well, as long as it is optimized accordingly. This is how they bring users to their own pages on the one hand and attract backlinks on the other.
Some companies want to generate leads with their content as their primary target. However, this only works to a limited extent. Direct lead generation works, for example, with measures such as downloading white papers, provided that the user discloses his or her contact details. However, strategic content marketing is a long-term measure and not the optimal instrument when it comes to generating leads quickly.
Kanika: On average, companies spend more than a third of their total marketing budget on digital marketing. Is that enough for success?
Ulrike: That depends on the product - and on how you define success. First of all, marketers have to define goals and KPIs. Only then does it make sense to think about appropriate measures and their tracking. Then the costs can be quantified.
I consider content marketing to be a fundamental component of digital marketing. Nevertheless, the content strategy, channels and formats must always be tailored to the business objectives of the company and the respective target groups. Only then do they have a chance of success.
Kanika: What trends should companies focus on in content marketing in 2020?
Ulrike: The users want companies to show attitude and personality - for example, to position themselves in relation to current events. Content marketing can and must show the faces of the company. It is not enough to offer a "Here is your contact for press questions" page or similar.
Users love twittering CEOs. Content marketing directly from C-level - that's even more so in 2020. Users tend to trust authentic people rather than "faceless" brands, and more and more companies understand this. In addition, voice search, and with it formats such as podcasting, are on the rise.
Personally, however, I think it is unfavorable to focus on trends as long as the basis is not right. Let's face it: only a few companies are pursuing strategic, authentic and relevant content marketing in a uniform tonality on all channels and with full user focus. My urgent recommendation therefore: Concentrate on the basics. Then 90 percent of content marketing is perfect.
Kanika: Let's venture a look into the future: How do you think content marketing will have changed in ten years through artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is particularly important in the editorial department. I expect that in ten years most texts will be created automatically. Today, sports or weather reports written by AI are part of everyday life. And, even if it is sometimes difficult to admit to it: the machines do a pretty good job.
But I am convinced that we will still be needed then. Because, as I mentioned, users trust people.
Learn more about trends, tendencies and developments in social media marketing and content marketing: Download the Namics Digital Marketing Monitor 2020 now.
